CourtsideTHE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE KOOYONG LAWN TENNIS CLUB INC. DECEMBER 2019 A New Era The AgBioEn Kooyong Classic 2020 Preview KooyongNovember2018.pdf 1 31/10/18 11:07 am CLUB NEWS C M Y CM MY Boutique. Local. Competitive. CY CMY BARTYMITE K With a rich history as Worrell’s, Mercedes-Benz World number one, Ash Barty made an appearance at Kooyong recently to launch limited- Toorak is your local trusted retailer. edition ‘Bartymite’ jars to celebrate her continued partnership with Vegemite. The company have sponsored Barty since 2017 Offering two convenient locations we are here and she will continue to wear the iconic Vegemite to assist with all your motoring needs. patch on her clothing throughout the Australian summer season. Barty has had an outstanding year on tour, As a Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club member you winning her maiden grand slam singles title at the French Open in June, leading Australia to the will receive preferential pricing when you final of the Fed Cup, and winning the WTA Finals purchase a Mercedes-Benz from the team at in Shenzhen. First claiming the world number one ranking Mercedes-Benz Toorak. in June, Barty became just the fifth Australian to ever reach the top spot, joining Evonne Goolagong Cawley, John Newcombe, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt in reaching the summit of the sport. Barty, who has represented Kooyong in past /mbtoorak /mbtoorak seasons of the Asia-Pacific Tennis League (ATL) and Premier League, is a fantastic role model for all tennis players, and the Club wishes her all the best for the season ahead! T New Car Sales 11 Carters Avenue, Toorak (03) 8825 5000 www.mbtoorak.com.au 11545 T KOOYONG.COM.AU / COURTSIDE / 1 Mercedes-Benz Toorak 29 Madden Grove, Richmond (03) 8199 7100 [email protected] C LM CourtsideID.indd 1 27/6/18 7:59 pm 53 Mercedes FPC v1.indd 1 5 December 2019 8:53 am CONTENTS WELCOME “We have an exciting twelve CEO'S REPORT months in front of us with the As our grass courts return to play for the season and we prepare for a return of international tennis in revamped Kooyong Classic...” January, we look back upon a year of major change Peter Carew, President around the Club and prepare for bigger changes in 2020. The stadium has returned to its past form and Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club Inc. will be the ideal setting for the upcoming AgBioEn 489 Glenferrie Road Kooyong Classic which will feature a star-studded Kooyong VIC 3144 field. Two former number ones Maria Sharapova and Ph: (03) 9822 3333 Caroline Wozniacki will headline the women’s draw ISSUE 53 : DECEMBER 2019 Fax: (03) 9822 5248 along with some great players on the men’s side www.kooyong.com.au including Milos Raonic, Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, Bartymite ............................................................................... 1 [email protected] Richard Gasquet, Marin Cilic, Borna Coric and CEO's Report ...................................................................... 3 17 177 846 072 / A0039994S Soonwoo Kwon. President's Report ........................................................... 4 Once again we encourage Members to take up the Kooyong Classic 2020 Preview ............................. 6 BOARD great ticketing and hospitality opportunities for the Kooyong Foundation ..................................................10 three days from 14th January to 16th January 2020. Club News .........................................................................16 President ~ Peter Carew Our ever active club groups have closed out their 2020 Club Championships .....................................18 Vice-President ~ Brian Capp year and preparations are in place for a number of Premier League ..............................................................19 Treasurer ~ Joe Dicks activities during 2020 across all areas. Pennant : Men .................................................................20 We very much appreciate the efforts of Members Pennant : Women .........................................................21 MEMBERS OF BOARD who volunteer their time to make sure that these Junior Competition .......................................................22 wonderful events are available for Members to Midweek Ladies' Report...........................................24 Ian Anderson, Rowena Cole, Adam Cossar, enjoy as a further way of enhancing a Kooyong 6 ................................................................ Kooyong KITA Coaching 25 James MacMillan, Darren O’Loughlin, Sally Peers, Membership. Classic 2020 New At The Bar ..............................................................26 Chris Brown - CEO As we close 2019, we make preparations for the Preview Billiards & Snooker ......................................................27 building work that will take place in 2020. We will keep A new era begins for the Squash Report ................................................................28 PUBLISHERS Members informed of upcoming works and will aim to 32-year-old Kooyong Classic. Bridge Club........................................................................30 minimise inconvenience and complete the work in the Royal Children's Hospital Auxiliary ...................31 Editor ~ Sophie Vickers shortest time. Wine & Food Society .................................................32 [email protected] I thank Members for their support throughout 2019 Young Members .............................................................33 Membership ~ Sarah Leahy and wish everyone a safe and Happy Christmas and a Health Club .......................................................................34 [email protected] wonderful New Year. Social Committee..........................................................35 Tennis & Sport ~ Cedric Mason Diary Dates ........................................................................36 [email protected] Functions ~ Rachael Whitelaw [email protected] 10 Design ~ Lauren Grande Kooyong Foundation [email protected] All the latest Chris Brown, CEO achievements KOOYONG CORPORATE MEMBERS from our talented Foundation members. ABSI Group Australian Urology Association 33 Barry Plant Young Custom Fleet, previously GE Capital Members Haymes Paints Wrapping up an Kanodia Nominees Pty Ltd exciting year. KOOKAI Mercedes-Benz Toorak Rich Capital Group, previously Kalmar Equipment Aus ULR Jaguar Land Rover 2 / COURTSIDE / KOOYONG.COM.AU KOOYONG.COM.AU / COURTSIDE / 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT ear Members, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, prosperous New Year and safe travels if Recent sporting achievements you are heading away from home. We have an exciting twelve months in front of us with the ɕ The Club won two Tennis Victoria Pennant flags- Grade 2 Men and Grade 1 Masters 35+ revamped Kooyong Classic and of course the implementation of the Master Plan. ɕ The Club’s Women’s team are the Premier League Champions, and the Men’s team finished We are finishing off the balustrading around the stadium and improving the fire services runners-up to prepare the stadium in readiness for the AgBioEn Kooyong Classic. In February we will ɕ Glenn Busby won his 8th ITF Seniors World Championship title Dcommence the much-anticipated renovations and extensions that will provide us with enhanced ɕ Cooper White represented Australia at the Junior Davis Cup finals, and was named Tennis car parking facilities and an extension to the Clubhouse up to the stadium and provide us with a Victoria’s Male Junior Athlete of the Year significantly larger gym, two new squash courts, change facilities and increased room for club ɕ Amy Stevens was named Tennis Victoria’s Female Junior Athlete of the Year activities. It is going to create some frustration to members in terms of access and parking, ɕ Marc Polmans reached a career high ranking of 137 in the world but the Board chose the shorter term inconvenience with one builder over possibly eighteen months of frustration if the project had been done in two stages. I apologise to you in advance Around the Club for the inconvenience but we will do everything we can to minimize the inconvenience and the The grass courts are open and looking in excellent shape and the newly surfaced grass courts will core activities of the Club will continue unabated. I am sure when it is all done and finished the be open for play soon. A special thanks to Nick Rennison and his crew for all the hard work because inconvenience will become a distant memory as you enjoy the improvements that the Master Plan the club grounds and gardens are magnificent. will deliver. We are delighted that we have a renewable energy company as naming sponsor for the Kooyong Merry Christmas. Classic because we believe it represents the values of so many of our members who want to reduce their carbon footprint. AgBioEn are planning sustainable regional projects that produce food and use bio-mass waste to convert into fuel and will be supporting indigenous communities in that process. The new look spectator focused AgBioEn Kooyong Classic commences on 14 January and runs for three days and in my view represents the best tennis experience in the world. We have a We are delighted that we have a renewable Peter Carew, President energy company as naming sponsor for the Kooyong Classic because we believe it represents the values of so many of our members who want to reduce their carbon footprint. smaller intimate stadium and we get to be really close to the action and for a solid five hours on our centre court we get to see some of the best players in the world. Sharapova and Wozniacki